


Detentions for Attention

by LunaRavenclaw9



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Arguing, Dad Draco Malfoy, Devious Neville Longbottom, Herbology Professor Neville Longbottom, M/M, Post-War, Unresolved Sexual Tension, angry flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:29:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25605115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunaRavenclaw9/pseuds/LunaRavenclaw9
Summary: Neville always simultaneously dreads and anticipates parents night at Hogwarts. This year, he finds out why
Relationships: Neville Longbottom/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 6
Kudos: 49
Collections: Harry & Neville's Birthday Celebration





	Detentions for Attention

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the Harry/Neville Birthday Drabble fest that was ran in Hermione's Nook Facebook group. My prompt was detention. And since my first prompt was used to write Harry, I wanted to go out of my comfort zone and write Neville for the first time!
> 
> A big thank you to [KoraKwidditch](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KoraKwidditch) for her awesome beta skills!!! Any and all remaining mistakes are my own!
> 
> Another big thank you to [ArielSakura](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArielSakura) for her help with my title and summary!
> 
> Without my village I don't know where I would be!!!! So thank you to everyone who helped me hash this idea out! You all know who you are :)

Neville had been teaching at Hogwarts for twelve years now, and he still dreaded Parent Night. He was sure if he thought hard enough, he would find a pleasant moment about this evening, but Neville would definitely need to think long and hard to find one. It never failed; each year, he seemed to have one parent who wanted to make a spectacle about the way he treated their little witch or wizard.

So far, this year was uneventful, and the professor wondered if he could slip away to his office since it was almost time for parents to head home. He waved to Harry and Ginny, and made his way towards Headmistress McGonagall; he wanted to make sure she didn’t need help with anything before he took his leave.

“Just who do you think you are, Longbottom?”

He’d almost made it, freedom was in his grasp, and then Draco bloody Malfoy had to go and muck it all up. He really had hoped the impressively fit father of his most troublesome student would have waited to show up until after he’d made his escape—no, not escape, just a quiet moment after a busy day.

Neville managed to suppress an eye roll, childish behaviour wouldn’t make this any better, and tried to put a charming smile on as he turned to Malfoy. “Well, I do believe I am your son’s Herbology professor, am I not?”

_ Hmm, probably should have dialed back on the sarcasm a little _ , Neville thought to himself as he watched the other man’s cheeks turn red with anger. 

“Excuse me? Did you just—?” Malfoy stopped for a moment and seemed slightly confused. Before Neville could get any more of a read on the other man’s change in attitude, the anger was back. “Look, I don’t give a hippogriff’s arse if Professor McGonagall did appoint you Deputy Headmaster this year, that does  _ not _ give you the right to pick on students.”

“Pick on students? You have got to be kidding me, Malfoy.” Neville responded while he tried not to notice the way the other man’s eyes flashed with more than anger. He felt captivated by the swirling color, and with a jolt realised he had been transfixed by them. 

“Then how about you explain why you’veve been unfairly singling out my son?”

Neville tried to take a calming breath before he replied. There was no point in reacting with anger, he knew that. He really tried, but still ended up speaking with more force than intended as he replied, “Singling your son out? I think Scorpius does just fine making a spectacle of himself on his own.”

“Making a… ? You’rere calling my son a spectacle? How  _ dare _ you!”

Malfoy’s voice had risen enough to catch the attention of the parents, students, and staff surrounding them. Neville decided the only way to prevent this from becoming a public fiasco was to move it somewhere more private. “Draco, how about we talk about this in my office? I keep files for each of my students, and that includes each detention I have given them along with the reasoning.”

“That sounds like an excellent idea. Please, show me these flimsy reasonings you speak of.”

Groaning inwardly at the situation, he began to lead the way to his office behind the greenhouses. Professor Patil caught his eye with an inquisitive look as he and Malfoy left the Great Hall. With a small wave, he let her know the situation was handled—at least he hoped.

***

Neville had trouble tearing his eyes away from the perfect outline of Malfoy’s arse in his dress robes as they made their way silently towards the greenhouses. When they finally reached his office, the other man loomed over him slightly as he unlocked the door. The heat and moisture that he loved about this area of the castle washed over them once the door opened, and Neville tried to ground himself in the familiarity of his domain. 

It may have worked, had he not opened his eyes. The scent of sandalwood and citrus filled his nose, and grey orbs the colour of storm clouds, pierced through him. 

“Now, show me these excuses you have for picking on my son,  _ Professor _ Longbottom.”

Malfoy took a half step forward as the title crossed his plump lips with a purr. Their heights almost equal, the blonde not quite as intimidating anymore.

Neville’s gaze jumped between his kissable lips and simmering eyes before he cleared his throat and replied, “Just over here in the cabinet, I have Scorpius’ file. I can show you each infraction and you’ll see that every instance of detention was, not only warranted, but that each punishment was fair. Especially when you factor in the frequency of them.”

One perfectly arched eyebrow was the only indication Neville received that he had been heard. As he moved towards the files, his shoulder brushed up against the other man’s chest. He felt, more than heard, the intake of breath Malfoy took at their contact. 

After retrieving the information, he found the blonde situated in his desk chair—and no, not the one reserved for guests—one leg neatly crossed over the next, looking the epitome of wizarding etiquette. Before he could let the other man get to him, he conjured an identical chair and sat next to Malfoy opening the file that held his son’s name.

Malfoy snatched the top paper, barely glancing at it before he scoffed, “Really? Mixing fertiliser for an hour because his robes were too long?”

“You know how dangerous the greenhouses can be along with tripping haz—” Neville started to explain before the other man cut in.

“And lines? You had him write  _ twenty  _ lines because he forgot his  _ gloves _ ?”

Gritting his teeth, Neville again tried to reason, “It doesn’t matter what is being trimmed, you should never come to Herbology without your gloves. It could have been something dangerous.”

Looking up from the papers for the first time since he’d snatched them, Malfoy leveled him with a challenging stare.

“And just what were you trimming that particular day,  _ Professor _ ?”

A bright blush crept along Neville’s cheeks as he replied meekly, “Flutterby bushes.”

A devilish smirk graced his sinful lips. “You know, Longbottom,” Malfoy drawled. “There are easier ways to get me alone than angering me over my child.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Love and hugs to you all!!!
> 
> Comments and kudos are adored <3<3
> 
> [Come find me on tumblr, though I don’t use it much yet](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/scarycat23)


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